Goggled Monkey: Yay. Yes we wrote it till 5:00 in the morning.
Boongar: Not kidding either.
Goggled: Scary ne? So any really freaky mistakes can be credited to that…..or her not me.
Boongar: Hey!
Goggled: Blah blah ok a few things.
Disclaimer: We don't own Harry Potter. Duh.
GM: And lets see the story will eventually contain two boys snogging. If that's not your thing don't bother to read. Also in this chapter there's a lot of bad words. Tisk tisk. That's all.
Boonger: Read and enjoy.
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He stared at the letter numbly, barely taking in the meaning of the words. He had read the letter three times before it actually sunk in. He continued to read it through over and over again.
It didn't make sense. It couldn't possibly be true.
Each word was tight and neat marked in delicate quillmenship ending in a flourish that was his mother's. The black ink was hard stone upon the cream parchment.
It couldn't be right.
How could something like this happen? He would never.......
Draco's pale eyes moved as he scanned the page again teeth clenched so hard that pain radiated up his jaw.
His father, Lucius Malfoy was dead. And it was because of him? Why? His mother had been so delightfully sketchy on any details. The Kage Toritsuku spell she mentioned though. Draco had heard of that one from father; a very obscure spell wasn't it? So much like a Simulacrum too. Taking the victim's body, creating a doppelganger, then filling the new image with the caster's very essence while the victim slowly died. Once the dark lord possessed the new husk he could so easily go forth and kill Potter in Hogwarts' very halls.
Draco shuddered at the thought of himself, his soul being burned and slowly consumed, replaced by that.... thing.
Then the most surprising action. His father had refused to use his son for a spell that would surely kill him. So out of character but his mother reported that so clearly. He Flat Out Refused. Voldemort doesn't take No from his underlings, and turned his wand on Lucius, Avada Kedavraing him into oblivion. Good bye for good.
Draco's mind reeled. His father had actually given his life for him? He thought that his father hadn't cared, but he really had.
A tear rolled down Draco's cheek, but was quickly wiped away. He angrily tossed the letter aside and stalked off to his dorm. He needed to think. He turned at the door to stare at the letter that had fallen to the owlery floor. It lay in the filth that littered the floor, ready to blend in, but acting like a beacon to his eyes. His hand twitched.
He did not move to pick it up. As he tore out of the room it was filled with the startled cry of a screech owl. The din echoed the hollow stone like a death cry or perhaps in this case a grim proclamation. The sounds of his own heart seemed to drown out the sound, thundering drum like. Adrenaline coursed as slimy fear crept in his bones.
He was scared and angry and....
Why would his father ever do a thing like he did? What possessed him?
It took Draco ten minutes to realize he had made a wrong turn and was not headed towards the Slytherin dorms. He swallowed down a curse that seemed stale and unnatural in his state. Everything seemed wrong though. He turned down a different corridor.
"Oi! Malfoy! Hold up!" A voice commanded from behind him, freezing Draco's body in surprise. He turned to watch a familiar mop of black hair and emerald eyes bounce up. Clenched in the boy's right hand, Draco instantly knew it was his mother's letter.
It was his father's death certificate.
Draco felt his blood run cold. Potter had read the letter and the blond felt like wilting in humiliation. He would not want his mother's so lovely words be known by any one. Her anger at his father for dying for such a folly reason. Lucius' idiocy for not following the commands of he-who-must-not-be-named. Her basic agreement for her son's death.
Draco glowered at the Griffindor and snatched the letter out of his grip. He quickly tucked it into a pocket of his robes.
"So now you know," Draco snarled, "what do you want now?"
Potter looked surprised. "Know what? I didn't even read your letter. Should I have?"
Draco silently breathed a sigh of relief, then snapped "No. But knowing your goddamn curiosity about everyone's business, you would probably read any letters to anyone, especially to me. I could have been receiving instructions on how and when to assassinate you."
Potter frowned. "Fine. Go to hell. I should've just left the stupid letter on the floor."
They both turned at the sound of a third voice calling down the corridor. A figure was running down the hall towards them. "Hey Har-"
The person stopped when they saw the two boys. It was the youngest Weasley boy, looking for Potter of course. The redhead stopped beside his friend and glared at Draco, not sure what was happening but there to help nonetheless.
Draco gave a shudder. How he didn't want to be with the happy shiny Griffindor people right now. He slid a sneer onto his face, hoping he looked positively disgusted by the sight of both of them.
"Oh what joy." He drove out dryly. "The second of the happy trio has come. I think I'll take my leave before the mudblood arrives." A tiny remote sliver of comfort wormed in him as he watched Weasley's face go red. He decided to twist the knife.
"Of course for all I know she's under the Weasley's robe but I doubt he could afford her services."
"You dirty fucking....." Draco saw Potter catching Weasley in mid lunge in the corner of his eye before turning and stalking off down the hall.
"Let it go Ron he's not worth it." Yes of course he wasn't worth it. He was only worth an assassination attempt and perhaps his father's life. Beyond that what was he worth?
"You heard what he said about Herm? I'm gonna kill him!"
"Let it go." The two voices floated behind him going faint.
Draco strode quickly away from them and turned down a different corridor. Not the direction of his dorm but he had to be away from those two. He just wanted to be alone for awhile, and the two happy Gryffindors weren't helping his mood.
Draco stopped and shut his eyes. His fists tightly clenched so his nails cut in his palms. He unclenched his right fist and groped blindly in his robes, not opening his eyes. The letter crunched and he pulled it out, staring at it blankly. He sighed and read it once more.
"Ok what the fuck is wrong with you?" Potter's voice demanded. Draco turned to see Potter, his face livid in anger.
"Get lost Potter. What is it to you anyway?"
"I did just stop Ron from killing you." He answered, a bitter look appearing on his face.
Draco turned back, sneer returning. "And how glad I am Potter, of the great control you have over your pets. Why should I care?"
Potter glared at Draco. "Well, you're welcome."
Draco rolled his eyes. Why wouldn't the git just leave him alone? "Do you not seem to remember that we are ENEMIES? WHY are you pestering me?"
Why now? Go away! he thought to himself.
Potter shrugged. "You're only making half-arsed attempts at chasing me away, so I'm going to annoy you until I find out why."
"My god, you are LAME! Go away before I curse you."
Draco turned and began to walk away, down a corridor he hadn't been down yet that evening. Potter followed close behind.
"Truthfully Malfoy," Potter's voice turned serious. "I'm worried about what you said before; about you assassinating me."
Another time that evening Draco froze in surprise at Potter's words. He was silent a second then let out a bitter laugh.
"So this is the reason you feel you need to follow me? Because I might be a threat on your life?" He laughed again though he quickly stopped, thinking it wasn't all that funny.
Potter frowned again, his emerald eyes crinkling. "I felt I should check up to make sure you were kidding. I always like all the cards on the table."
"What the fuck is that supposed to mean?"
"Are you supposed to kill me Malfoy?" Potter asked. Draco stared at Potter, jaw itching to drop to show how positively gobstruck he was.
Fuck me Draco thought he's not kidding
Again Draco let out a riot of laughter which seemed to confuse Potter.
"Shit Potter you really are an idiot aren't you?"
"What is......"
"You confront me in an empty hall, you send your little pet weasel away. And if I'm supposed to kill you, what then? How could you stop me?" Draco snarled, anger boiling.
"I could stop you." Potter said confidently.
"Not if the Kage Toritsuku spell had been cast." Draco muttered without thinking. As soon as the words were out his eyes widened.
"The what spell?" Potter asked suspiciously.
"Nothing."
"What if the Kage whatever spell had been cast? What would happen to me then? Huh?"
"Nothing! Forget I mentioned it."
Potter took a step closer, his eyes narrowed. "Let me look at that letter."
Draco looked at Potter, shocked, and took a step back. "No! It's mine! It's my personal business. You don't seriously think I'm su- get the fuck away from me!"
In one movement, Potter swooped forward and grabbed for the letter, which was still held clenched in Draco's hand. Draco dodged away and made an awkward attempt to push the other boy away, then turned quickly to flee. He didn't need this. He'd curse Potter tomorrow. But the Griffindor jumped into his path, blocking his way and tackling him to the ground.
Taking his chance, Harry snatched the letter out of Draco's temporarily dazed grip. Draco realized what had happened in seconds, and made a last attempt to grab at the crumpled piece of paper in Potter's hands, but knew it was now impossible. For one thing, the boy seemed to be halfway through it already, and also, he was...*sitting*...on him.
Draco groaned and heaved Potter to the side. He lay defeated in the middle of the corridor, no longer really caring. Finished the letter, Potter slowly dropped it to the floor. "Draco.."
Potter's hand moved to Draco's and clasped it. Draco looked over at the other boy, his face registering a look of surprise before quickly changing into a frown.
"Potter, let go of my hand."
"No."
Draco ripped it away like Harry's touch was painful. He moved and before he knew it he was glaring at the Griffindor in a semi fetal position.
"I'm sorry." Harry said, bright eyes downcast as if he really were sorry.
Draco laughed once more the sound so very forced and hollow. "I don't want your FUCKIN pity ok Potter?" His voice cracked in the middle of his emphasis and he clamped his mouth shut.
"I didn't know he was dead. I am sorry. Really."
"Liar!" Draco spat, making the dark haired boy jump. The blond stood and glared down at Harry. "I'm sure you're happy. You're probably waiting to jump for joy and dance on his grave. Tell me you won't go and tell all the happy little Griffindors that the dark lord's right hand man is dead. This is the kind of thing that makes your kind so very very happy and you only pretend to be sad a life was lost!" Draco's voice had gone to a scream and he had grabbed the other boy's collar. Draco let go and stepped back.
"My kind?" Potter asked, voice choked slightly.
"Yes your kind, you happy, annoyingly nice and oh-so-very-right-all-the-time people." Draco shook slightly, jaw trembling.
Harry cocked his head slightly, blinking almost in awe. "I'm sorry if you think I'm like that. I do care if someone dies. I'm sorry it had to be your father."
"So you actually care?" Draco said skeptically.
"Yes."
Draco looked at the other boy. He really seemed sincere. He was much less cheerful than before, though for some reason this didn't make him as happy as it usually would to see a sad Potter. He started to feel sorry for the boy, then shook himself. It was him, Draco Malfoy, that had just suffered a major loss. Not friggin Harry Potter. Potter should be comforting Malfoy, not the other way around.
Not that he wanted bloody comfort from Harry Potter.
Draco was sick of talking and feeling bad for himself. He got up and, without another word, stalked off past the dejected Potter towards where he figured Slytherin house must be.
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GM: Thanks for reading.
Boongar: Review!